Rule.



P. F. minus.

7 BULB. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1908.

Pathted Nov. 30,1909.

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P. F. BURNS.

RULE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1908.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Y E N R 0 T T A PATRICK F. BURNS, 0F NISBE I', PENNSYLVANIA.

RULE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30 19%).

Application filed September 19, 1908. Serial No. 453,881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK F. BURNS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Nisbet, county of Lycoming and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rules, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in rules under thatclass of rules which may be used as a level, plumb rule, square, orordinary straight rule, and has for its object to provide an exceedinglysimple and effective device of this character in which the parts may besecurely held together and one which may be easily and quickly changedfrom a rule to any one of the other combinations.

With these ends in view, this invention consists in the details ofconstruction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and thenspecifically designated by the claim.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains may understand how to make and use the same, I will describeits construction in detail, referring by letter to the accompanyingdrawing forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is aperspective View of the rule open. Fig. 2, a side elevation showing therule folded. Fig. 3, a similar view showing the rule used as a level bythe use of a plumb bob instead of spirits. Fig. ft, a perspective Viewof a portion of the rule, showing it used as a square. Fig. 5, a sideelevation showing it used as a plumb rule, portions being shown insection to illustrate how the parts are connected. Fig. 6, a sectionalview of a portion of the rule, the hinge being in elevation. Fig. 7, aperspective view of the hinge, and Fig. 8, a face view thereof.

To put my invention into use and thereby form a combination tool formechanics use I provide a suitable number of strips and connect themtogether by hinges in the manner shown.

The first and last sections A and B consist of short strips of wood,metal or other suitable material, and in these are formed the openings Cthe ends of which are formed on an angle to the sides of the strips asShOWIl at D. V

The turn plate E is pivoted in the opening C by the nail or screw F andwhen using the rule as a level these plates are turned at right anglesto the rule sections which will cause the level to stand alone.

G and H represent two longer strips which are hinged together and towhich the smaller strips are hinged by the hinge plates I, said hingeplates being placed in the openings I formed in the ends of the sectionsand secured to said sections by the screws or rivets I I denotes a flatspring which is formed by cutting parallel slots therein and bending themetal between them upward. The central portion of this spring beingcurved away from the hinge plates I so that it rests against one side ofthe openings I will cause a drag or friction upon the sections so thatwhen they are placed in any one position they will not readily leavesaid posi tion.

On the ends of the strips are placed or formed the teeth J which willalso assist in forming a drag between the sections of the rule. In theabutting ends of a number of the strips are placed the slides K so thatwhen the rule is used as a square these slides may be pulled out untilthey come in contact with one another thus forming a square corner aswill be readily seen in Fig. I, and these slides are dove-tailed asindicated by K and these dove-tails fit in the dove-tail opening formedin the strips so that said slides may be moved in or out, but when allthe way in will not become disengaged from the strips.

The semi-circular protractor L has one end secured to one of the stripsthe opposite end being free and resting against the side of the otherstrips so that any angle may be found between two of the strips.

M represents a plumb bob and N the cord to one end of which it isfastened, the opposite end of which is tied to one of the hinge plates Ior the hinge plate may have a notch N in which the cord can be insertedfor holding it to the plate, so that when the device is used as a plumbrule the cord will hang, down the side of the strips as 'is clearlyshown in Fig. 3.

0 represents a number of catches pivoted at P to one section of therule, the opposite end being adapted to engage with the pin Q, on one ofthe other sections of the rule so that when the sections are broughttogether and this catch is engaged with the pin said sections will beheld together.

In practice the strips may be folded one upon the other as shown in 2thus tak ing up very little space so that it may be placed in a manspocket or tool chest or it may be folded as shown in Fig. 5, so as to beused as a plumb rule or again as shown in Fig. 3 to act as a level theprotractor giving the right angle between the two strips, or again itmay be used as a square as shown in Fig. 4 at which time the slides arepulled out to form a square corner or by unfolding each strip until theyare in alinement with one another it may be used as an ordinary rule.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details ofconstruction here shown as these may be varied within certain limitswithout departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new anduseful, is-

In a rule of the character described, short and long strips havingsuitable openings formed therein, hinge plates for joining said stripstogether movably secured in a number of these openings, springs, formedwith the hinge plates, the center portion of each spring bulgingdownward until it rests against one side of the openings in which thehinge plates are secured, the end strips having other openings formedtherein the catch is adapted to engage for holding the strips together,a plumb bob, and a cord for securing the plumb bob to one 01": the hingeplates, as shown and described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

PATRICK F. BURNS. Witnesses:

E. J. MoNAonAN, GRANT STANLEY.

